"Although some functional imaging studies have observed greater lateral prefrontal activity when people choose larger, delayed rewards over smaller, immediate ones, others have not replicated this finding. Similarly, although some lateral prefrontal regions show increased activity in more patient individuals, other lateral prefrontal regions show the opposite effect. Furthermore, although decreased gray matter in lateral prefrontal regions is associated with greater impatience, damage to dorsolateral prefrontal cortex does not seem to affect decision-making regarding delayed rewards."
(check out TMS demo by Rebacca Saxe.)
This is all fascinating but the issue is it's all stereotyped based on dopamine driven hedonism. Impatience comes from myriad forms and influenced by myriad factors. Our view of impatience is skewed and is mostly based only on money and health. I think there are other important and often overlooked factors influencing hedonism and patience. To list a few from an oxymoronic phrase - my wisdom:
- Idealism can sometimes by crucial for patience.
- Pragmatism can sometimes decimate patience.
- Dreamers can be nauseatingly patient.
- Excess of Oxytocin with hyper active Insula does lead to impatience in love.
- Halo effect can have an impact on patience. Patience with money and career doesn't mean patience with love and family and vice versa.
- Paradoxes of willpower.
- Epiphanies can be hedonic too.
We all long to have some control in our life although it's impossible to do so in the chaos of everyday life. Hedonism gives us a mirage of control while patience feels like life slowly slipping away from our hands. Patience is a virtue and can only be proven innocent in hindsight. Only way to cultivate patience is by embedding it as trait from childhood. Probably the hardest thing to do in this hedonic society.
It's time we starting thinking patience as a lullaby helping us to wake up to an enlightened tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment